Camp competition or not, Geno Smith faces a real challenge in 2014

Posted by Mike Florio on June 29, 2014, 7:26 AM EDT

Getty Images

Yes, Mike Vick was right when he said the Jets’ quarterback position won’t entail an open competition in 2014. But that doesn’t mean Smith will have it easy in his season NFL season. Or that Vick won’t eventually be playing.

As explained by Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com, other teams will be studying the bump in Smith’s performance late in his rookie year to come up with ways to shut him down this time around.

“I think he’ll be better this year, but the other thing is, every team will have had the opportunity to watch 16 games and break him down,” Titans cornerback Jason McCourty told Cimini this week regarding Smith.

Per Cimini, Smith increased his running in the final four games of the year, racking up 31 rushing attempts for 186 yards and three scores. It made his more effective generally, but that will give the teams who’ll face him early this year greater ammunition to defend against the Jets.

Smith will have to get ready to bust through a ceiling that applies to every second-year starting quarterback while getting only 75 percent of the first-team reps during training camp practices. Though not a 50-50 may-the-best-man-play situation, Smith will still be giving up some opportunities to Vick, because the Jets realize that a season worth of tape could result in defenses that Smith won’t be able to solve.

The challenge for the Jets will be striking the right balance between getting Smith and Vick ready and, ultimately, knowing when to flip the switch to Vick if Smith struggles.

Geno has more upside than Vick the cancer to society!!
Jets and lions are like a mirror image of each other (bad)
Lol
Scol

ialwayswantedtobeabanker says:Jun 29, 2014 9:12 AM

Geno Smith will struggle. He was responsible for 25 turnovers and threw 21 picks to only 12 TDs. That is brutal. His QB rating was 34th of NFL QBs in a 32 team league. Even in college, an enormous amount of his production was inflated by check-down and outlet stuff.

This is not to root against the guy — just trying to be a realist here.

“opportunities to Vick, because the Jets realize that a season worth of tape could result in defenses that Smith won’t be able to solve.”

They are in trouble if Smith can’t solve them because Vick NEVER could read a defense…

corkspop says:Jun 29, 2014 9:42 AM

Jets were smart to pick up Vick, period. He’ll be a good teammate, and teacher if that’s what he’s called on to do. But now they have a QB capable of winning games if they can’t turn Smith into one fast enough. Vick starts more than half the games this year…. Smith next year. (not a Jets fan)

Isn’t it possible that with Mark Sanchez getting most of the reps last training camp that Geno Smith wasn’t ready to be the starting quarterback? Because you know, just from what I’ve heard, that quarterback can be somewhat of an intricate position to play. Before we write this guy off as terrible can we maybe just, I don’t know, give him an actual full preseason where he knows he’ll have to be the #1 guy? A rookie comes in, not from a pro-style offense and doesn’t have a full training camp getting most of the reps and responsibility. Does anyone actually think that is a recipe for success? Not saying Geno is going to be Jim Kelly or even Jim Plunkett but let’s give him an actual shot that anyone else would get.